A Myspace glory story, Lily started posting songs on her page and become a phenomenon; though I have to think being the daughter of a well known actor in England, probably didn't hurt any promotion pocketbooks - still she deserves what she gets for coming up with not only a brilliant little album but what that is actually fun, catchy, bitter, bitchy and most importantly really original.

Combining a rocking pop backdrop, the sugary sweet melodies are the backdrop for cutting and slicing apart ex-lovers, arch rivals and complete towns - all done in a slight Cockney accent and boisterous delivery. The first single "Smile" hit the #1 spot in the UK ("At first when I see you cry/ it makes me smile...I feel bad for a while but then I just smiiiile") but that's only the starting point of Alright, Still -

the sassiness in "Everything's Just Wonderful" where the beaurocrats won't help her get a mortgage, an ode to her pot smoking brother "Alfie", (set to a hippity little ska beat and sing along lyrics) and a love affair with London seen through the realities of big city life on "LDN" is probably my favorite on the album - I don't think a domestic release has been done it but if you find a copy of this, buy it. Four Bradleys...

I like almost every song on this CD, but it can nonetheless be painful to listen to because the entire album sounds distorted due to the choice made when mastering to go with loudness over quality. A shame, really ... it's a great listen otherwise.

I was thrilled when I listened the "LDN" track from this album and I recognized the music from an old recording from Colombia, South America called "Cogeme la caña" loosely translated as "Grab my sugar cane stick" recorded in 1954 by colombian record label Discos Fuentes. [...].

Jaime Jaramillo

In the movie SAW, the serial killer Jigsaw calls one of his victims, "Angry and apathetic, but mostly just pathetic." That description would fall pretty aptly on Lilly Allen, or at least on the character she's portraying in this album.

I don't know much about the lass, who initially caught my attention with an effortless, liquid rendition of "LDN" at the '08 Prince's Trust concert, except that she's the offspring of a very well-heeled British actor. Thus, her decidedly punkish, working-class persona, complete with Cockney accent, may be a complete fake. I've no clue. I can only go on what I hear, and from a strictly musical standpoint what I hear is pretty good.

Allen has a lovely, just a bloody lovely voice, not merely pleasing but equipped with a subtly modulating resonance of the type Britney Spears probably dreams about between spells in the looney bin. She also has a wickedly subversive sense of humor, showcased on such songs as "Knock `em Out" and "Not Big", and a great observational eye, making most of the songs either laugh out loud funny or good for a nod and a thoughtful chuckle. The production is thoroughly professional, so much so the whole album seems to sparkle with some kind of machined gloss, and nearly every beat and tune ridiculously catchy.

Where the album disappoints is under the hood. Allen says a lot, but when you scrape away the icing she doesn't have much to say. She hates bureacrats, old people (her most ill-tempered rants go to her own grandmother, who has blasphemed against the punk code by growing old, a horror Allen seems to regard as a character fault...let's see how you feel in another 30 years, Lil), commercialism, and nearly all of her ex-boyfriends. Her main desire in life seems to be club-hopping, but she devotes several songs to gripes about obnoxious doormen, hostile-jealous girl rivals, and ugly guys that hit on her, so you have to wonder why she bothers. Everything on the album is catchy and clever, but all the effort seems a bit wasted when the content is so random and psychologically shallow. I kept waiting for a real punk-type rant, replete with guitar-smashing and burning British flags, but it never came. This is real belly-to-asphalt, working-class-on-the-dole, narrow-horizon type stuff, and my final impression was of a thoroughbred race horse hooked up to a everyday milkwagon: lots of talent spent in the wrong direction. Lilly Allen has a gorgeous voice and a skewering wit, and her next time at bat I hope she swings at more substantive stuff than sexually unsatisfying boyfriends and coupon-clipping grandmas. 3.5/5

As a cynical yet cheery girl myself, I really enjoyed this album. Catchy, pop tunes filled with thoughtful and/or witty lyrics really make you stop and listen. It's one of those CDs that I can play over and over again without getting sick of it.

I first saw Lily Allen on a Mark Ronson video with her posing as a cartoon Roger Rabbit style, and I thought to myself, this girl is different creative and unique. Then she featured in Common's "Drivin me Wild" video and I was asking myself do this artist have an album yet? Well, late(as usual) I discovered that she did have an album because I saw two of her own videos on Havoc TV. Those videos were "Smile" and "LDN" and I was blown away. She has a merry-go-roundish type pop, but hip-hop, with a little dash of sing-a-long join hands and dance around in circles type vibe that I became so addicted, I watched the videos over and over again. So I was going to go get the album when I discovered my own sister (which music range isn't as deep as mine) knew and had the album way before I found out about this album. (Of course I was furious, but I had to snatch it up and listen).

Great music, great production from Mr. Ronson. "Knock em Out" and gameshow sounding "Everythings Just Wonderful" has Lily talking about having bad credit, family members smoking weed, etc, this girl has issues if you get past her melodic high vocals and listen to the lyrics. My personal favorites are "Friday Night" the addictive but creative "Shame For You", and hands down the best song on the album with its light synth and heavy keys "Take What You Take", yeah that's the title, Lily Allen really stretches out and shows her true vocal skills. She even does a little rapping on the album which doesn't sound bad either. "Nan You're A Window Shopper" she sounds better than 50 cent's version and a little more threatning too (sorry Fiddy)!! To nick pick, "Alfie" gets lost in the shuffle, but Lily comes hard with a stellar debut album and looking forward to hearing more from this strange genius!!

4 stars. The Brit sensation!!

Loooove Lily allen's CD 'Alright, Still'.. she's got so much character and clever lyrics! Won't be leaving my CD Changer for quite awhile!

Lily's debut album features excellent vocals, terrific arrangements with intelligent mixing of styles such as reggae, Latin, 60s-satirical, along with comprehensible lyrics. Most songs flirt in an unusual way with the listener by simultaneously bad-mouthing men but in a playful way. It's as if Lily is "dissing" her previous boyfriend while dating YOU. Her provocative use of expletives is enough to keep her off mainstream radio, but not so obnovious as to be a turnoff. So there's a slight underground feel to her record. But overall, it's the musical quality -- every song is terrific -- which stands out. Excellent job.

Lily Allen has established herself as the brash British MySpace diva who numbers Gwen Stefani&Orlando Bloom among her celebrity acolytes. She's worked in the studio with Mark Ronson (like fellow Brit Amy Winehouse),and she's gone for a "retro with an edge" sound (again,like Winehouse)

Lily Allen has a pseudo-reggae/ska like the British group UB40. Fortunately,she doesn't take on a fake patois,and she isn't dull. "Alright,Still" is her debut-and she's got far to go. Other than the single "Smile" (about reveling in an ex's troubles),the syncopated "Friday Night" ,the reggae-style "LDN" and the cheerful "Littlest things" are the highlights. The rest of the album can be best described as rants. There's the hip-hop/spoken word "Knock 'em out",the mocking "Nan you're a window shopper" and the condescending (but cheerful) just say no to drugs anthem "Alfie." Of course,Allen takes swipes at the men in her life. In the quasi-reggae of "Not Big",she demeans the size of her boyfriend's manhood&his inability to pleasure her. In "Shame on you",she berates a boyfriend who is "spreading his seed all around town."

"Alright,Still" shows Lily Allen as the Diva with Attitude and Not Much Else. Alright,still this is her debut. She has time to come into her own&make her own style. For now,she's a MySpace diva,and everything is just wonderful.

Lily Allen's "Alright, Still" is probably the biggest surprise I found when sifting through the mountains of music that came out last year. Between Allen's tongue-in-cheek lyrics, a handful of catchy hooks and Mark Ronson's impeccable production, this album is an absolute winner. While Lily Allen is the star of the album, The most apparent talent on this album is Ronson. I truly believe that he will become one of the most important producers of the 21st Century; it may be rash/too early to say this, but I really think he'll be the Qunicy Jones of the next generation. His arrangements, samples and everything on this album is really what makes the music shine. Sure the lyrics are absolutely hilarious (especially on "Knock 'Em Out" and "Alfie") and the music is absolutely catchy, but this would be a very different album without Ronson behind the curtain guiding Lily along. It will be exciting to see what this partnership produces in the future, and I think that it would be absolutely tragic to see Lily and Ronson break apart. This is a great album, and if you like this, check out Amy Winehouse's debut from last year as well, also produced by Ronson.

this CD is amazing!!! luv it, it's fresh and new and different and not the same old junk that's always playing on the radio! LUVLUVLUV this CD!!!!

If you haven't heard of Lily Allen by now you've got some serious catching up to - and it'll have been well worth the wait, as per Lily's debut album has been out for a year now. The 20-something Brit combines reggae, pop, dance hall and funky samples to create a truly unique and infectious album in the world of cutesy 20-something chanteuses out there right now. Although I don't know just how commercially successful each single off the album may have been in North America, I can promise you a great listening experience if you pick this one up. Catchy beats aside, the lyrics are clever and catty with new surprises the more you familiarize yourself with them.

"Smile" is the main and first single off the album - a frothy number of revenge against a cheating ex, but Mark Ronson's doo-woop remix almost outdoes the original. My personal favourites include the Caribbean sounds of "LDN", the 1920's slumpy jazz piano in "Shame For You", the classic riff in "Littlest Things", the breezy feel of "Take What You Take", and my absolute fave, "No Friend of Mine"...just has great vocals over a laid-back beat. Don't miss Lily's take on 50 cent as well with "Nan You're A Window Shopper" - comedic gold.

Overall this is a really great album that actually lived up to the hype, even if Lily's commercial success doesn't appear to have done so quite yet... I can't wait to see what's coming out next.

This album contains a lot of inappropriate lyric, but i love the songs. they are so much different. And really... I cant really explain it. you will have to see for yourself.

Don't think too hard, just crank it up and smile. This is a fun. fun record!

In my pop music, I like some attitude and style, and those are two things you can get in hearing Lily's music. Oh, and compared to many with the label, the music you hear on "Alright, Still" is actually pretty creative and somewhat artistic. That just makes the songs even stronger. This is one of those albums that is fun to go back to because of the bombastic fun of listening to the record.

Is it a guilty pleasure for me? Not really. The songs themselves are full of style, with a couple of admittedly throwback-sounding tracks, but added with a few songs with a ska/reggae twist ("Friday Night") and such. It is funny but without being overly idiotic which helps in its favor. I generally smirk when I hear "Knock 'Em Out" and sometimes can relate with the issues tackled on "Everything's Just Fine." If you like the big pop sound of "Smile" which is nice enough you'll probably also like "LDN" which is a more upbeat sounding track. Most of it is, really. It does a lot without seeming much like a novelty record which makes it wholly impressive. Even with a track that kind of is on the record, I tend to enjoy the parody track "Nan You're a Window Shopper," which has many clever points ("We've done our Christmas shopping and we're only in April") and makes for an entertaining listen. I like music that entertains and so this stuff is totally satisfying from a fan who wishes music wouldn't always take itself so seriously.

If you'd like more life in your music and something that makes for a memorable listen I recommend you some listens of this album. It is everything I was hoping for and more. I can't wait to hear what she'll do in the future, and hopefully next time we'll get an album issued in America at the same time it's released in Europe. One of 2007's strongest releases.

Lily Allen's debut may be a disposable pop album, but it's a great disposable pop album- it's full of beautiful vocals, smartly cheeky lyrics, and fantastic production ideas. Musically, it's an unlikely (and stunningly successful) fusion of three decades' worth of stylistic developments- r&b melodies float over ska beats, with stylish electronica and well-chosen samples squirming around under touches of rap and 60s sunshine pop. It's a cool package, and a relentlessly fun one at that. The first three songs alone are a delicious little pop buffet: "Smile" is a skanking mini-masterpiece with a vengeful vocal ("At first/ When I see you crying/ It makes me smile." Croons Allen to a cheating ex) lilting its way over a hypnotic electrified reggae backing. "Knock `Em Out" should, in theory, sound annoying as hell- it's a snotty pseudo rap number about the difficulties of shutting down guys in bars- but somehow, it works incredibly well. It probably has something to do with that twirling r&b piano line and Allen's playful, tongue-in-cheek performance. "LDN" is a gorgeous fusion of Caribbean -sounding rhythms and dreamy 60s pop. Lyrically, it's a sarcastic tribute to the seedier aspects of Allen's hometown. Nothing on the album really matches those first three songs, but there's plenty of good stuff here: "Everything's Just Wonderful" is a smartly built slice of bubbling sophisticated electro pop, and "Friday Night" is a smokey, sensual, and vaguely threatening bit of Brit-ska. "Not Big" and "Shame For You" are snarling (yet beautifully sung) putdowns, and "Alfie" is a deranged and catchy throwaway. The U.S. issue of this album features a remix of "Smile" that, to my ears, sounds better than the original- it plays up the song's sunshine pop aspects, bringing the chorus to stunning levels of exuberance.

There is a bit too much filler here- "Take What You Take" is a somewhat generic "be yourself" anthem, and "Friend Of Mine" takes the "pissed-off lyrics/ska-influenced production" formula a bit too far. "Littlest Things," although it does feature a dreamy chorus, sounds too melodramatic, and ultimately, boring. In general, the album does succumb to a few of pop's dangerous pitfalls- even the better songs can get annoying, and the lyrics often sound like carbon copies of one another. Still, it's a great debut with some fantastic moments, and it belongs in any serious pop fan's collection.

I first heard Lily Allen on Sirius, and loved her music. If you're a fan of The Streets or Kate Nash, British hip-hop, you should thoroughly enjoy this album.

This is the best record I have bought in all year! Lily Allen is a promising new artist who stands aside from all the mainstream music with her own unique style. The record brings together all these things no one likes to talk about (sick relationships, stalkers, society...), in a very satirical and cheerful way. The lyrics all well written and in some way we can all relate to them.

In regards to the melody, the keyboard in some occations is looped, but it its balanced by strong basslines and the use of some instruments (sax, trumpets...) that aren't normally used in this type of music. Lily's great vocal technique is also a big plus, for that all the above reasons I would strongly recommend this record.

I love this album!
(and I dont usually buy modern nor popular music)

I listen to old school 1980s goth/punk/ska/electro and this sort of mixes them all in a great upbeat sound.

Her voice, attitude, accent, skanin' beat, and social commentary, range from sweet to angry but is always fun!!
I love the contrast of the serious lyrics with upbeat music.

And every song is different, this is not the same song over and over with different lyrics.

Warning - these songs get stuck in your head - but in a good way!

Timbres I swore I'd never embrace, femininity that most guys can't handle, but possibly the most unique record I've ever encountered.

Funny, sassy, sophomoric, delinquent, and absolutely infectious. When I first heard her on SNL, I shared the older-folk view that "this is catchy, but a flash in the pan". I bought it for my girlfriend at the time, and suddenly realized I couldn't give it to her!

We've since broken up, and I STILL look forward to landing on Lily in my MP3, a year later. This record is the personification of what the older generation doesn't like about youth, and we were all young once, right?

Think back, and recommend this to anyone you think wants to laugh and groove and be suprised - maybe it's you....

This CD is brattish, childish, and she's a huge poser. I don't see the point of music like this. Every song is filler. And why would she bother composing and singing a stupid song about how useless her brother is? What's the big deal with her voice? This girl is not alternative!!! She's SO, SO, SO FAR from what SKA really is!!!! Why do some think differently?? What a trashy, no-talent, waste of space this ugly azz Ho is! She needs more make-up, and way less suck!!

When will Lily fade into nothing? I'll be waiting!

1 star.

Lily Allen has some talent. She cetainly has something to say. But she also has BIG issues with men.

Lyrics about how a guy can't keep it up or give her an orgasm are the same as somebody like Eminem telling some girl she's dry as a bone or whatever. Why is this fine for women and not for men?

Something to chew on...

I bought this CD in London in July, 2006, because of the Lily Allen buzz around the UK. Her songs are catchy and delightfully irreverent -- at times outrageous -- and even more fun because Lily Allen's sweet voice provides such a contrast to her cheeky lyrics.

After more than a year, this CD is still one of the six discs in my car changer -- not usual, as I continually listen to new music. I haven't grown tired of it yet!

this is the best pop music i've heard in a very long time. very enjoyable.

Lily Allen is a fun, poppy english star with attitude. I love her music, it makes me smile!

Amazon is always safe and efficient as well!

Wonderfully and youthfully obscene in an artistic and competent manner. Makes you think that the new generation is not so bad after all and can see through their predecessors' errors.

Great songs that often make me laugh - I used the tunes for work out music, since they are fast to keep you moving, but slow enough that you can catch your breathe.

I won this album at work. The only track I had heard was Smile. I just knew that that was going to be the only good track on the album, but I was pleasently suprised. Allen's first album is catchy and fun! Definetly recommended!

Fun CD. love the lyrics and listen to it a lot. Girl's got a sense of humor.

While I disliked Smile when I first heard while I was living in France in 2006, after it got beaten into my head by all the radio play I decided to investigate more of Lily Allen. My absolute favorite track is Knock 'Em Out, a hilarious number that all women [at least, who have ever been to a bar] can relate to ("Can I have your digits?" "No, not in a million years, you're nasty..."). Other particularly catchy songs are LDN, Everything's Just Wonderful, and the also hilarious Not Big.

All in all, the melodies and beats stay ringing in your ears and her lyrics shine as funny commentary on modern relationships and society in general. Makes me want to live in London every time I have a listen!

Ok, I'm being overly dramatic and sappy. But, every February I search for the music that will bring hope to the end of the dark winter blues.

It has been 3 years that I have found a song, let a lone a whole album, that made me feel like the darkness will be over soon and it's time to get out there and (ironically) SMILE!

The eclectic genre is catchy, her band mates fabulously talented and OMG can she sing!

Enjoy.

This is a great disc. It's light and sarcastic and melodic at the same time. The moods of each song change, but the singing is beautiful on every track. I can't wait for more material from Lily Allen.

my teen daughter and myself rock out in the car to this CD.It has bad language in some of her songs so you can buy the clean version.

One of the best albums I have purchased in a long time. Unlike many albums out there, every song sounds different.

I listen to all types of music, but mostly heavy metal. I recently heard her song LDN and fell in love with her voice. I loved the cd right away and cant stop listing to it. Her voice is so sweet and smooth, and I love her humour in some of the songs. A great find for someone who loves metal. I dont know who i'd recommend this cd to, but I sure love it.